Sixth Sunday of Easter

Dear Parishioners,

    Things continue to change on the COVID-19 front.  The Center for Disease Control came out with new guidance this week.  As I understand it, we can be much more confident in being with others outside without a mask.  We definitely do not have to wear a mask if we are by ourselves outside.

    Gathering in groups inside is another matter.  We still should wear masks and have social distance. Because of all this we still must try to limit the number of people we have at Mass.  We still must wear masks.

One piece of guidance that the CDC gave that did not get much publicity is the whole question of sanitizing.  We have learned a lot since the first days of the pandemic.  The virus, we have found out, does not behaive the same way as a cold or flu virus. It lives a matter of seconds or minutes on a porous surface, like a wood surface for example. On a bathroom sink it might live a little longer.

For this reason, on May 1st, we will stop passing out chips and sanitizing pews after Masses.  We will still sanitize bathrooms between Masses. I would like to thank all those who have been cleaning after the Masses. They have been most faithful.  Because they helped to do this, we probably had a less severe cold and flu season.

Let’s pray that one day soon we can relax the rest of the protocols. We must consider ourselves fortunate to live in a country where we can afford to give everyone inoculations.  Let’s pray that poorer countries may have the vaccinations they need soon. I believe the United States is starting to ship vaccine to hotspots around the world.

May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over and protect us today.

Fr. Mark

P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all the Women of the Parish.